Shawn Michaels vs Undertaker (WWE - 3/28/2010)

Historic match and it still holds up to me seven years later. Taker hurts his knee and early and Shawn zones in on it to finally get this monkey off his back and beat Taker at WrestleMania. Iconic finish that's some of the best main event style storytelling that the WWE has ever done.

I really like both matches between these two at mania. Neither is a match I am really considering though. I have watched them both a few times trying to get them as all timers and I understand why people like them and will consider them. They just never reach that point for me. They don't resonate in the same way.

That said, I would be a little surprised if one or both don't at least end up in the top 150 (really just depends on the voting pool we wind up with). I will be very interested in their placement against one another and on the whole.

Shawn Michaels and Undertaker have back-to-back US MOTYs. They are both very different. I actually watched this one first rather than the first match specifically because I wanted to see how this held up without the context of seeing the first match in recent memory. I would say really well. Once I watched the first one, I think I slightly preferred this one. On top of that, I still think I prefer Hell In A Cell as my favorite between these two. 1997 was just the height of Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker's powers. Weird to think there is a 13 year gap. I have watched a lot of 2010s classics recently so my list next year will definitely be shaken up. Dont know if this will make it, but it definitely on the bubble.

The Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels - WrestleMania XXVI

So I did something interesting I watched this match without having watched XXV in many years. I have not watched this one in many years either. I wanted to see how well this stands on its own. I would say very, very well indeed. These are not two legends coasting on their reputations, WrestleMania, and the fact this is a retirement. They built a classic from the ground up using the fundamentals of what makes pro wrestling great. Two men struggling to win a contest. I LOVED the urgency at the beginning of this match. Both men were 45, but they were explosive at the outset. I think they did a great job explaining why each slowed down. For Michaels it was the constant shots to the head and for Undertaker is the unfortunate jamming of his knee on Old School. The urgency at the beginning was refreshing and really felt like two of the best vying to win a crucial match. What I loved about the next portion is that it took about five minutes for Shawn to really injure Taker's leg. He had to EARN that advantage. Taker kept him at bay with his reach using those big jabs to keep Michaels at a distance or his size to bully Michaels around. Michaels for his part was as pugnacious as a bulldog and was going for the leg at every opportunity. Michaels sealed that deal with a figure-4 and then heel hook. Now you believe the match is anyone's ballgame. It will be the big bombs of Taker vs Michaels' attack on the leg. I thought they did a magnificent job down the stretch with each nearfall. It would be easy to fall prey to "My Turn, Your Turn", excessive nearfalls or way too much down time. They paced it perfectly. The Tombstone on the outside was awesome. A big moment, but since it happened on the outside something that Michaels can come back from. The Last Ride into a facebuster due to the bum wheel was great. That first Sweet Chin Music, holy shit, did everyone in attendance bite on that or what! The crowd went nuts for that. The Sweet Chin Music/Moonsault through the table combo was a great Holy Shit spot to send Michaels out on a high note. A sort of salute to the great career he had. Then it was time one more Sweet Chin Music to get that one last nearfall for the Heartbreak Kid. He has nothing left to do but try it again, but this time it is the Chokeslam. We all know the story from there. The Tombstone kickout, the cinematic ending with the defiant Michaels pulling up on Taker and slashing his throat and then Taker giving him the BIGGEST TOMBSTONE EVER!

First half was great. Lots of energy early they came with good in-match storyline reasons why it slowed down. The finishing stretch was perfectly paced. They were some nitpicks here and there about transitions especially in holds that keep it up from the full monty, but this is easily the 2010 WWE Match of the Year. I have one last critically acclaimed FUTEN tag team match to watch before I decide if this was 2010 match of the year, but definitely has a good shot. It will be interesting to see if this makes by Top 100 matches. Stellar WrestleMania Main Event, hard to ask for a better one. ****3/4